SAG Strike Vote Battle?

The Screen Actors Guild debates the picket line.

In one corner: Tom Hanks, Glen Close, and George Clooney. In the other corner: Mel Gibson, Martin Sheen, and Ed Harris. At issue: To authorize a strike, which would give the Screen Actors Guild more leverage to negotiate with the studios over the issue of how actors are compensated in the digital era.

While the union is spending over $100,000 to drum up support for the strike, many are saying the strike is unwise and untimely, especially in light of the current economic crisis, which has hit rank-and-file Hollywood hard.

The internal fighting has now reached a fever pitch, causing some, including Alec Baldwin to question the union's leadership: "Nothing against them personally," he said. "I respect them. I think they did the best that they could. I'm just very curious why three other major unions came to terms with the [studios] and we haven't. We're not negotiating effectively because we are too fragmented ourselves... They have failed as negotiators."

Hanks, Close and Clooney have sided with other actors like Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman who want the union to accept an agreement with the studios, however imperfect. The union, however, is pressing on with its plans. It needs a 75% "yes" vote to authorize the strike.

Right now, it seems like the Jets against the Sharks. Hopefully, it won't be audiences who are caught in the middle of this turf war.